12 Days Of Christmas
by homesweethomicide13
Summary: Barda is leaving messages all over the palace for Doom, and each one comes with a variation of gifts, which lessen in number as he goes along.


**Title:** 12 Days of Christmas  
**Author:** homesweethomicide13  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairing:** Barda x Doom  
**Warning:** Shounen-ai  
**Disclaimer:** I'm pretty sure you all know I don't own DQ. Except some characters that are not mentioned in any of the books.  
**Summary:** Barda is leaving messages all over the palace for Doom, and each one comes with a variation of gifts, which lessen in number as he goes along.

_Author's Note: I don't care about the people who don't like this pairing. I've explained that I know it's not possible, or likely, that these two would ever be together, but isn't this the joy of fanfiction? I am also not some fan of the anime that wanted to put yaoi/shounen-ai into the fandom. I've been a fan from the very first book and I thought of this pairing long before I even knew about the anime. If you don't like the pairing, fair enough, but at least read the story (just ignore the BardaDoom hints)._

12 Days of Christmas

Doom wandered the palace slowly, deep in thought. Christmas was very close, and he couldn't think of any gifts for Barda that wouldn't seem too… sissy. He'd considered a sword, but then remembered that had been his birthday present. It was hard, trying to shop for Barda.

As he was on his third trip past the new library, he decided to go in and relax for a while. Maybe if he rested his mind, or at least distracted it, something would come to him. As he entered, he waved at Marilen, who was putting some books back on the shelves. She smiled in return, and hurried to her small desk by the door. She disappeared into the back room for a moment, and returned holding a slip of paper, one arm behind her back.

"Ah, Doom! I'm glad you're here." She said as she reached him. "I was told to give you this, and I was going to look for you on my break but, since you're here…" She handed him the paper, and he looked at it.

_**On the twelfth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you…  
**__**Twelve flowers blooming!**_

Doom frowned. He recognized the writing as Barda's, but he was unsure as to what the text was supposed to mean. There was another message underneath.

_I picked them from the river bank, especially for you._

"I was also told to give you these." He looked back at Marilen, who was holding a dozen purple flowers. Doom's eyes widened. They were violets, his favourite flower. He smiled as he remembered he'd once mentioned it to Barda in a conversation. He took them from her and breathed in the scent of them. And when he counted them, he realized there were indeed twelve of them.

"Marilen, could you do me a favour, and make sure they get to my room?" She nodded and took them back.

"Of course, Doom. I'm about to take my break anyway. I'm assuming there is something you have to do?" She smiled. Doom nodded. He had to find Barda and thank him.

"Thanks Marilen." He left the library, slipping the paper into his pocket. He quickly wondered where Barda could be. It was still early morning, so he could be in his office. He made his way down towards the palace guard quarters, where the Chief's office was located. As he approached, however, he spotted Barda's deputy guard, Johan, standing outside the office door. As he saw Doom, the young guard made his way over.

"Ah, Doom, there you are. I was told you'd come here." He put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "This is for you." Surprised, Doom took it and read it.

_**On the eleventh day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you…  
**__**Eleven tasty chocolates**_

_Because I know how much you love strawberries…_

As Doom read the last sentence, he became aware that Johan was holding out a box, and he glanced at it. It was a gold box, with delicate black writing on the top. He smiled as he read the writing. It was a box of chocolates with strawberry centers. He opened it up and counted. There were eleven.

"Thank you, Johan." He said to the guard, who saluted briefly. "You wouldn't happen to know where Barda is, would you?"

"He said you might ask that. He told me to tell you to go to the kitchens." Johan explained with a smile. Doom nodded his thanks and left for the kitchens. Despite Johan's honest voice, he doubted that Barda would be at the kitchens. For one thing, he was always very strict about himself taking time off. He hated hanging around when he had a job to do.

Still, he made his way to the kitchens and, as he had suspected, found only Sharn there, at the huge table. There was a box in front of her, a slip of paper on top of it.

"Hello Doom." She smiled. He sat down beside her and sighed. He pointed a finger at the box and the paper.

"I suppose those are for me?" She laughed slightly.

"Yes, they are." She handed him the paper, and he read it.

_**On the tenth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Ten canes of candy**_

_To satisfy that sweet tooth of yours…_

Doom couldn't help but grin. Barda knew him so well. Sharn slid the box over to him and he opened it. Inside were ten candy canes, white with swirling stripes of every colour. He placed the box of chocolates on top of it and sighed. Was he going to have to carry all this stuff? Sharn must have seen the look on his face, for she took both boxes and lifted them into her arms.

"I'll put these in your room, shall I?" She smiled. "You're to go to the palace gates." Doom sighed again and stood up. Saying a quick goodbye to Sharn, he made his way out of the palace. He walked through the gates and saw Ranesh standing against a tree. He beckoned Doom over and offered him a slip of paper when he got there.

"This is for you." He said with a smile. Doom, now used to seeing these bits of paper, took it and read it.

_**On the ninth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Nine delicious cakes**_

_Baked only for you…_

"Here." Ranesh was still smiling as he held out a box that smelt deliciously of freshly-baked cakes. This is exactly what it contained – nine of them, decorated with brightly coloured icing. "By the by, I was told to send you to the jeweller after giving you those." Doom was mildly confused. The jeweller?

"Alright, thanks Ranesh." Still confused, he walked down the hill towards the city. He couldn't understand why he'd be sent there. The smell of the cakes was making his mouth water, but he dare not stop off at the forge to store them until he returned to the palace. For all he knew, he'd be needed there, too.

Winding his way through the crowds of people, he made his way towards the jeweller's shop. There were plenty of people in there, buying gifts for their loved ones. Many recognized his face and greeted him with smiles and traces of awe. After all these years, people still feared him. It didn't help that he was known also for his relationship with Barda.

"Ah, Doom! I've been expecting you!" The jeweller, Hwfa, waved at him from the counter. His three sons were also there, serving people. "Come this way, if you please!" Trying to ignore the curious stares of the customers inside, he walked over to Hwfa, who then led him into the back room. "Here, take this." As he had expected, Doom was given a slip of paper.

_**On the eighth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Eight emerald pendants**_

_Because your eyes are the most beautiful emeralds of all_

Doom's heart skipped a beat as he read the last line. He made a mental note to kiss the hell out of Barda the moment he saw him. He became aware that Hwfa was holding out a case, and he took it. Inside were eight chain necklaces, each with an emerald at the end, moulded into different shapes. The largest of them was a glittering dragon, but his favourite was the one shaped into his name. Hwfa watched Doom with a smile. He had been surprised when he had received the order for the pendants, but now he understood.

"They're beautiful." Doom whispered, temporarily forgetting that he had company. Hwfa chuckled.

"Here, take this too." He held out a bag. "I can see you have other things to carry." Doom smiled and put the case of pendants and the box of cakes into the bag.

"Thanks Hwfa."

"Now, you should be on your way. I've been told that the portrait painter is expecting you." Hwfa led him back to the front of the store, and after Doom thanked him again and said his goodbyes, watched the scarred man leave the shop. "I wonder if he knows what a lucky man he is." He smiled.

Doom walked to the portrait painter's workshop, even more confused. What was he going to get next? Surely it wasn't just for a portrait? Well, he'd find out soon enough. The painter was expecting him, for the moment he walked into the workshop he stood up and grinned.

"There you are! Come in, come in!" As always, Demetrius was eccentric and lively. "I have something for you Doom, one moment please." He disappeared into the workshop, among the various canvases and pots of paint, and then reappeared within an instant, holding a package and a slip of paper, which he handed to Doom.

_**On the seventh day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Seven family portraits**_

_To brighten up your room, and your life_

Doom looked at the package for a moment before opening it. Inside were seven paintings in wooden frames. Each one was different – the first was of Barda, Lief and Jasmine, the second of Sharn and Lief, the third of Jasmine, Marilen and Ranesh, the fourth of Barda and Sharn, the fifth of Lief and Marilen, the sixth was all of them together. But the seventh was the one that shocked Doom the most, for he recognized it. Barda had managed to convince him to get one done with him, sometime earlier in the year. And here it was.

He smiled as he looked at it. They'd started out merely sitting together, Barda's arm around his shoulders, but at the last moment, Barda had turned and kissed him. Demetrius had laughed, but painted it all the same.

"Thanks, Demetrius, they're brilliant." Demetrius smiled.

"Thank you, Doom. Oh, you're to meet the jeweller's daughter in the market square. She should be waiting by her stall." Doom nodded and put the portraits into the bag Hwfa had given him. Nodding a goodbye, he left for the market square. What next? Hadn't he already seen one jeweller? Hwfa's daughter Helena specialized mostly in diamonds and gold. He finally spotted her by her stall, and she beckoned him over.

"Hello Doom! Here, this is for you." And he was handed a familiar slip of paper. His pocket was full of these.

_**On the sixth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Six bracelets shining**_

_For those special moments…_

Helena held out a case similar to the one from Hwfa, and he took it. As expected, six gold bracelets lay inside. He looked at them one-by-one, smiling at the diamond decorations. The last one was slightly larger than the rest, and the gold plaque had an engraving in it. He held the case closer so he could read it, and smiled. _I'll love you forever._

"I think, you should go to the forge." Helena said with a smile.

"Thank you, these are wonderful." He left her to return to her stall, and put the case of bracelets into the bag. Then he made his way to the forge. His earlier prediction had come true, it seemed. He _was_ needed at the forge.

The forge was empty when he got there, which was no surprise. Lief was taking a day off from working the forge, and had told Doom to take the day off too. However, as he entered the cottage at the back, he saw Jasmine sat at the kitchen table. In front of her was a slip of paper, which she handed to him.

_**On the fifth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Five brand new swords**_

_To practice your favourite hobby_

Jasmine stood up and went into the forge. She came back a moment later carrying a rack of swords – numbering five. Each one was beautiful, and delicately made.

"Lief made the first four." Jasmine smiled. "The fifth one is special."

"Why? Who made it?" Jasmine said nothing, and so he picked up the one she had gestured at. As he turned it over in his hands, he realized that there was an emerald embedded into the hilt on one side, and his name engraved above it. Turning it over, a lapis lazuli was embedded into the other side, and the name above it was Barda's.

"He made that himself, with love and care." Jasmine said after a while. "I'll put these in your room here for the moment. You're to go back to the palace now, to the sewing room."

"Alright, thanks." Doom glanced at the bag in his hand. "Could you put this in my room, too?"

"Sure." Jasmine grinned, taking the bag as well. She watched as her father left the cottage and began making his way back up to the palace. Doom ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Judging from the notes, his gifts were decreasing in number, starting from twelve. Did that mean he had another four to go? He walked briskly through the palace and went into the sewing room. There was a woman there, by the name of Julia, who had immense skill in the world of embroidery and other material work.

"Hello there Doom, I believe this is for you." She handed him a slip of paper. He took it with a smile and read it.

_**On the fourth day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Four silky cloaks**_

_To show off your radiance_

"And so is this." He was handed a box, which he opened. Inside were four glittering cloaks of red, blue, green and silver. Each one was beautifully made, and were the perfect size for him. This made him smile. Barda didn't need to measure him to know his build. Barda knew every inch of his body perfectly.

"These are beautiful Julia, did you make these?" She nodded. "I will treasure them."

"I had a feeling you would." She smiled. "You need to go and see my daughter in the next room." Nodding his thanks, Doom took the box of cloaks and left to see her daughter, Georgia, who specialized in posh, fancy clothes for dances and other formal events. She looked up from pinning a new dress in place, and smiled.

"Ah, you're here. This is for you." She passed him a slip of paper.

_**On the third day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Three fancy shirts**_

_Because damn if you don't look good in them!_

He resisted the urge to laugh, and instead focused on the box Georgia was holding out to him. Taking it, he opened it to find three beautiful silk shirts inside, one in blue, one in red, and one in black.

"Thank you Georgia, they're wonderful." He said politely. She smiled.

"Thanks, I think you'll look stunning in them." She grinned. "And now you're to go up to the royal chambers." Nodding, he picked up the box and left the room, aiming for the royal chambers on the second floor. There he met Lief.

"Hey Doom. I've been told to give you this." Ignoring the box at Lief's feet – which was large and had many holes in the top – he took the offered paper.

_**On the second day of Christmas  
**__**Your true love gave to you  
**__**Two cuddly puppies**_

_Because I know you're a real softie on the inside!_

"Oh no way." Doom whispered. He looked once again at the box, and Lief grinned.

"Aren't you going to open it?" He teased. Doom knelt down and opened the box. Inside, two young puppies scrambled around, yapping at him. One was completely black, and had a silver collar around its neck, and the other was honey-coloured, with a red collar around its neck.

"Oh, they're adorable." He whispered. He became aware that people were surrounding him and Lief, and he stood up again. "What?" Everyone who had given him a slip of paper and a gift was standing around the door beside Lief.

"It's time for your final gift, Doom." Sharn smiled. "Open the door." Curious, he did so. The room beyond was dark. A slip of paper was hanging above the door frame, and he untied it.

"It's… blank." He muttered, flipping it over. Both sides were blank. Suddenly, a light clicked on inside the room and Doom gasped. Barda was standing just inside the doorway, a silk shirt hanging gracefully off his body, the collar turned up around his neck.

"On the first day of Christmas your true love gave to you," Barda murmured. He stepped up to Doom and knelt down on one knee. He took Doom's hand and kissed it softly. "A future husband, if you'll take me." Seemingly from nowhere, he produced a gold ring, delicately made, with two roses entwined together on the top. One rose head had an emerald embedded into it; the other had a lapis lazuli. Shocked, he stared at it for a moment before realizing that everyone was watching, and Barda was starting to get a little nervous. Smiling, Doom took his hand out of Barda's and placed it against Barda's face, stroking his cheek lovingly. Slowly, he sank to his knees, took the ring, and slid it onto his finger.

"I'll take you." In a surge of happiness, they kissed, and everyone watching clapped. When they pulled apart, Barda grinned.

"Merry Christmas Doom." Doom then noticed all of his earlier gifts were already in the room – which, he now noticed, was Barda's. "Really, you shouldn't have gotten these until Christmas Day but… I just couldn't wait any longer." Doom smiled and kissed him again.

"Doesn't matter. I don't think Honey and Shade could wait either." Barda looked confused, and Doom laughed. "The puppies, Barda." Barda grinned. "And besides… I think you can have an early gift too…" Doom stood up and brought Barda up with him. Honey and Shade, who had been lifted out of the box by Lief, danced around their feet. "In fact, you can have it now…" Smiling seductively, he pushed Barda back into his room, the puppies following and jumping into a basket in one corner, curling up together. The people watching outside exchanged knowing glances as the door swung shut…

xXx

Barda smiled as Doom curled up against him. He slid an arm around him, resting his hand on Doom's back.

"Can I have that gift again next year?" He murmured. Doom laughed. He looked up and brushed back Barda's damp hair. Shifting himself, he climbed up on top of Barda – reminding him very nicely of their recent activities – and kissed him.

"You can have that gift whenever you want it." He replied. Barda grinned and pulled him down for another kiss.

"I like the sound of that." He said in a husky voice. A shiver went down Doom's spine and he curled back into Barda, burying his face in Barda's neck.

"I'll even make it a special wedding gift." He smiled, feeling the unfamiliar weight of the ring on his finger. Barda turned his head and kissed Doom's forehead.

"I love you." He murmured into his hair. Doom couldn't help but grin.

"I know. I love you too." He looked up and met Barda's sapphire eyes. "Forever."


End file.
